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N E N E S SOThe purpose of the Kubose Dharma Legacy is to offer a non-sectarian, non-dualistic approach, the Way of One-ness, to further individual spiritual growth in everyday life for people of all backgrounds.Buddhism is awareness. In our lives,unless we are aware, we will not see It is our tendency to always looktrospection, we can see all kinds ofthings. Yes, we have capabilities andwe have many ugly things within us.things. Basho, the most famous of allJapanese poets, wrote many poemssaw universal life—the pure life—deeply within himself and in all thingsaround him. One of his well-knownpoems is:Yoku mire baNazuna hana sakuKaki ne kanaThe nazuna bloomsnazuna is a most insignificant,small flower. Unless one looks veryunderstands life deeply, what signifi-nazunawas blooming with every petal, everyleaf. How beautiful! When the suncomes, the nazunadred percent. How about me? Am Iliving like the nazunanazuna and crystallizedhis understanding into a 17-syllablehaiku poem. Basho received a greatlesson from the nazuna and this ex- Unless we are aware, we do notthe mind’s eye to see. Awareness ofyour life changes, nothing is learned—(The Center Within, p. 1-2)AWARENESSRev. Gyomay M. KuboseInsideDharma Glimpse:Fly Fishing.Page 3Book Review:The Complete Guide toBuddhist America.Page 4WOW(Words of Wisdom)Page 4American BuddhistServices and Videos.Page 4Reader Replies.Page 5

Universal Teachings For Everyday Living Page 1

Quarterly Newsletter of the Rev. Gyomay M. Kubose Dharma Legacy Vol. 5 No. 1

the truth: the truth about ourselves, other

things, and the truth about other lives.

outside—around us. We forget to look

deep within. When we practice self-in-

virtues. But also our ego is strong and

When we are serene and quiet we are

able to see much deeper into all things.

All around us are many wonderful

which were expressions of his life. He

Look carefully.

Along the fence… Ah!

carefully, one will not see it. Unless one

have? Wild flow-

ers bloom everywhere. What of them?

Perhaps Basho had walked along that

fence many times and had been totally

unaware of that small, white flower un-

til he saw it that particular morning. It

opens up one hun-

? I have so many

complaints—no inspiration. But look at

this small, insignificant wild flower. No

one looks at it; no one praises it. How-

ever, it lives fully. Basho was inspired

to live like the

panded his awareness.

learn anything. We have no inspiration

and no teachings. Teachings are every-

where—all around us—if only we open

life is what makes life special. To learn

Buddhism is to change one’s life. Re-

gardless of how much we learn, unless

it is just another day and another place.

To learn Buddhism is to become aware

of life, which means to become aware